Many machines and devices today are configured to perform a variety of different selectable functions or processes. Such multi-function devices are usually equipped with some kind of control mechanism to allow an operator to select and actuate a particular function from the numerous available functions which the device is capable of performing. For example, one such multi-function device used today is a medical operating/imaging table having a patient bearing surface to hold a patient during an operation. The patient bearing surface may be moved laterally and vertically, as well as rotated, in relation to an operating physician to place the patient in a position more convenient for access and operation by the physician. Such operating/imaging tables are equipped with x-ray, tomographic, and fluoroscopic imaging hardware systems which may be used to perform various imaging techniques on the patient to generate real-time or photographic still images to be viewed by the physician. Such tables are operated by multi-function control systems. An example of such a table is the HUT IV urology table available from Liebel-Flarsheim of Cincinnati, Ohio.
One type of control mechanism for a combination operating/imaging table is a hand held unit with a plurality of buttons which are depressed to execute the various functions of the imaging hardware as well as to move the table surface in a desired direction. However, a hand-held control unit requires the physician to interrupt the ongoing medical operation to perform the task of moving the table or making a picture image of the patient. In the least, a hand-held control unit requires that one hand of the physician is free from the medical operation in order to manipulate the control unit. As may be appreciated, it is undesirable, and often impossible, for the physician to have one hand free to manipulate the hand control. Such circumstances usually arises when the surgical procedure is very precise and sensitive and interruption of the procedure is not an alternative.
In some situations it may be possible to utilize assisting medical personnel to operate the hand control unit in order to move the table and operate the imaging hardware. However, such a procedure requires additional trained personnel, increasing the cost of the operation and drawing those personnel from other more critical tasks at hand, such as assisting the operating physician with the medical operation. Additionally, the hands of the operating physician and assisting personnel are usually sterilized, and maintaining the sterility of their hands while they operate the control unit adds another difficulty to the operation scenario. Still further, it is often easier and more efficient for the physician performing the operation to be able to operate the table himself without constantly giving verbal commands for its operation to someone else.
One solution that has been offered as an alternative to a hand control unit is a foot-operated control system having a variety of engageable devices such as buttons, pedals or joysticks which may be manipulated by an operator's feet to leave the operator's hands free to perform other tasks, such as during a medical operation. While foot-operated control systems have been suitable for a variety of different multi-function apparatuses, such control systems have generally been limited in the number of discrete and dedicated functions which they can control. Various considerations must be taken into account when utilizing a foot-operated system including the size of the system and its mobility as well as the positioning of the manipulatable actuation devices within the system.
For example, the dexterity of an operator with respect to their feet is much more limited than their hand dexterity, especially when the operator is wearing shoes as will normally be the case. Therefore the actuation devices of the system must be appropriately sized and spaced for suitable actuation by a foot without the inadvertent actuation of other actuation devices of the system. Consequently, the number of discrete and dedicated functions which may be handled by a foot-operated control system is spatially limited because otherwise the system would be too difficult to use. An operator would constantly be engaging the wrong actuator if such actuators are spaced too closely or are too small.
Increasing the overall size of the foot-operated control system is also not a suitable alternative. The added size and weight reduces mobility which is important because the control system often has to be positioned around the device, such as around the table top of a urology table. Furthermore, a control system which is increased in size to handle an increasing number of dedicated functions, may utilize actuation devices which are spaced so far apart from each other that foot actuation becomes difficult, requiring the operator to shift around unnecessarily during operation of the multi-function apparatus.
Despite the physical limitations of foot-operated control systems, there are an ever-increasing number of functions or multi-function apparatuses which must be accessed and controlled by an operator, such as, x-ray, tomography, fluoroscopy functions for use with an operating table. Therefore, there is a need for a foot-operated control system which can handle a large of different functions without unnecessarily increasing the size of the system or complicating its operation by using small, closely-spaced actuators.
Furthermore, as may be appreciated, an operator of a multi-function apparatus, such as a physician moving a patient and the imaging hardware of an operating/imaging table, should stay focused upon the task at hand, e.g., the surgical operation. A control system with a large number of small, spaced-apart actuation devices which are difficult to engage requires the physician to constantly think about which of the multiple dedicated functions he is selecting or to continually look down at the floor to determine whether he is moving the proper actuation device. The distractions undesirably take the physician's concentration from his primary operation task. The secondary task of controlling the multi-function apparatus should not override the primary task of the operator.
One proposed solution to large and complicated foot-control systems is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,422,521 entitled FOOT OPERATED CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A MULTI-FUNCTION DEVICE which is commonly owned with the invention of the present application. The foot-operated control system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,422,531 utilizes a movable foot pedal which is operably coupled to a menu which includes a plurality of selectable functions. When the foot pedal is pivoted to the right or left, a visual indicator moves along the menu and when the pedal is returned to a center position, the visual indicator stops at a selected icon which coincides with a selected function. Pivoting the pedal downwardly then actuates the selected function. The system may be expanded to accommodate a large number of selectable functions without substantially affecting the complexity of the foot pedal device. Pivoting of the foot pedal moves the indicator through the menu; therefore, a very large number of selectable functions might be utilized limited only by the electronic or mechanical devices necessary to execute the selected functions.
While such a system has proven to be easy to use and readily expandable to handle a large number of functions, Applicants have discovered that some operators are uncomfortable with constantly referring to the menu for activating a function, particularly, for various frequently-used functions. For example, a physician will often move the table top of a urology table to move a patient forward, backward, side-to-side, or rotationally to more easily perform a surgical operation or to make photographic images of a desired region of a patient's body. Such table top and patient movement is frequently done during an operation and particularly when the physician is concentrating on the operation. Requiring the physician to look away to a menu, interrupts the operation. Additionally, some physicians develop an instinctive feel for the foot-operated control system when executing frequently-used functions and constant referral to the menu removes the easy, rapid instinctual control. Therefore, it is desirable to execute certain frequently-used dedicated functions of a multi-function apparatus without requiring the operator to divert his focus to the task at hand, such as to view a menu.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a foot-operated control system which addresses the needs of a large number of operators for control of diverse multi-function apparatuses.
Particularly, it is an objective of the invention to increase the comfort and ease of controlling a multi-function apparatus by foot manipulation.
It is a further objective of the present invention to control a large number of functions of a multi-function apparatus while allowing an operator to maintain focus on a particular more important task while executing certain frequently-used functions.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a foot-operated control system which may be readily and easily used to execute certain functions while simultaneously being expandable to execute other functions of an apparatus.
It is still a further objective of the invention to provide instinctual control of frequently-used functions of a multi-function apparatus such as a urological table.
These and other objectives will be more clearly illustrated below by the summary and detailed description of the invention.